OUR VIEW: Fee increases are unfortunate, but to accommodate Prince Frederick Hall, departments simply require more funds.
Nobody likes fee increases — especially college students. When we hear news of a proposed fee increase, we almost instinctively fight against it, considering how high tuition and fees already are.
At the Residence Hall Association Senate meeting Tuesday, multiple university departments requested fee increases to accommodate their expanding budgets. Our first question was, “Why?”
Apparently, that question can be answered immediately, as university administrators have made sure to maintain transparency with these increases. Over the years, we have continuously urged university officials to tell students why they need more money. And now, they have done just that.
Dining Services and the departments of Resident Life, Residential Facilities and Transportation Services are the four divisions requesting the largest fee increases. And while nobody really wants to give DOTS more money, especially considering the high volume of parking tickets issued, each of these departments has outlined clear reasons for these increases. Resident Life and Residential Facilities are asking for money to fund a $2.2 million budget increase, DOTS is asking to fund a $300,738 hike, and Dining Services needs to fund a $2.4 million increase.
Prince Frederick Hall, like Oakland Hall, is ushering in a new era of dorm life on the campus. Even in its incomplete state, Prince Frederick Hall has some of the most striking, modern architecture around. And the promise it holds regarding gender-neutral housing could change students’ lives.
Still, like all new buildings, Prince Frederick Hall has introduced a number of additional costs for university departments. Its more than 400 new beds will increase the number of people with dining plans, and the new dorm needs funding for cable, landlines and general facilities operating expenses.
DOTS needs the money for employee salaries and benefits, general maintenance and insurance. But that department is not asking for as much due to an expected upsurge in revenue from Big Ten fans paying for game parking.
Add mandated wage adjustments and increased benefits from new state laws into the mix, and we clearly see why departments need to adjust their budgets. As far as we can tell, the increases these department heads are asking for are not unreasonable. They are simply looking to keep things up to code and prepare for Prince Frederick Hall’s literally groundbreaking potential costs. In this instance, we can’t fight against fees simply because students will have to spend more money — especially when it’s clear those fees will directly help students.
Additionally, after hearing these proposed budget increases, the RHA senators will bring the budget proposals back to their dorms, where residents can weigh in on these decisions. This gives students the opportunity to analyze the proposals and give their opinion. We urge residents to attend these meetings and participate in deciding what will happen with student fees.
This editorial board understands any hesitation to embrace fee increases. We are all students, too, and we almost never want to encourage the ballooning costs of attending college. In this case, it is only fair to commend the departments, as well as the RHA, for ensuring these proposals are easy to understand and thoroughly explained. We wanted transparency, and they complied. So while we may hate paying more, at least we have a comprehensive outlook at exactly why we are doing so.
